Caesar Or God? Series

Holy Wednesday

Theme: Caesar or God?

Text: Luke 20:20-26

Introduction: Conflict between the monarchs and the spiritual leaders was a time-old problem. The spiritual could be arrested for condemning the political leaders, and systems. Politicians saw the religious leaders as a threat to their survival and existence. Herod killed James. Ahab chased Elijah. Jeremiah was thrown into the pit. Here the Priests and spiritual heads were trying to bring a problem to Jesus. The spies pretended to be honest. The posed question looks like a genuine one. But their intention was to put Jesus into trouble. They wanted to trap him so that they could arrest him and bring disgrace and shame on him.

According to the site bible.org, Luke cites three elements in this passage, such as guile, government, and God. I would like to say that we must avoid religious hypocrisy, submit to a proper government authority, and submit to God is the message from this passage. This passage has the Hypocrisy of the leaders, responsibilities towards Government, and relationship with God in daily life. We can say Hypocrisy, democracy, and Theocracy.

1. Hypocrisy of Leaders

The gospel writers of Matthew and Mark expressed that the Herodians and the Pharisees were against one another but joined as one force to eradicate Jesus. The Herodians supported Herod to rule over Israel. Pharisees hated Herod and those who backed him. But to get rid of Jesus, Herodians and Pharisees had teamed up and sent some spies to trap Jesus with a question designed cunningly.

The Pharisees, teachers of the law, and the chief priest sent spies to Jesus who “pretended to be sincere.” This word for “pretend” is the Greek word hypokrinomai, (from hupo = under in sense of secrecy + krino = to judge means to make belief, to make-believe with the intent to deceive) which means to “be a hypocrite.” It means to act a certain part. To be something you’re not.

The spies started with flattery. Historically, flattery has been used as a standard form of discourse when addressing a king or queen. Flattery is the reverse mirror-image of gossip. Gossip involves saying behind a person’s back what you would never say to his face. Flattery is saying to a person’s face what you would never say behind his back. Like politicians, preachers are peculiarly susceptible to flattery. It is professional titillation (Hughes).

“A flattering mouth works ruin” (Proverbs 26:28). “Whoever flatters his neighbors is spreading a net for his feet” (Proverbs 29:5). “May the LORD cut off all flattering lips” (Psalm 12:3). It’s easy to scoff at the inconsistency of these religious leaders, but we need to look within and admit that we’re all prone to hypocrisy. It lurks in all of our hearts because we’re all disposed to want to look good to others, while we forget about what God sees (Steven Cole).

Jesus was "no respecter of persons." (Acts 10:34). The Lord did not adjust His message based on the kind of response He received or who He was talking to. He did not equivocate because of human opinion or possible consequences (MacArthur).

The question was tricky. “Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” The idiomatic question that is "on the horns of a dilemma" is having to choose between two things, both of which are unpleasant or difficult. It was a Captious question. It was tending to find and call attention to faults. Intended to entrap or confuse, as in an argument.

If Jesus answered, “Yes,” the Pharisees would accuse Him of being soft towards Rome and certainly not being the Messiah who could deliver the nation from Rome’s hated sovereignty. If Jesus answered, “No,” the Herodians would report to Pilate as Jesus being opposed to Caesar’s rule, thus guilty of sedition.

Here the Jews were not discussing the legality of paying poll tax to Caesar, but whether a Jew should do so in view of his theocratic relationship to God. They pressed for an answer, yes or no as if there were no other possible answers (Ref: preceptaustin).

The Herodians were trying to trap Jesus into making an unpatriotic statement. Either He would have to oppose the law of the land, the hated Roman taxation, and thus be unlawful; or He would have to favor the taxation and be a traitor to His own people. They were like "malicious" hunters trying to trap Jesus like one would ensnare a bird or hook a fish.

2. Responsibility towards Government

Jesus’ answer to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God, the things that are God’s was a both/and, not the questioners’ either/or. So, Jesus slipped out of their trap (ref: NET-preceptaustin).

Christians in a country like India, and Asian countries are struggling with Government rules and regulations. They are confused over the tax laws and government. But one thing is true God and Caesar each have legitimate realms of authority with corresponding responsibilities.